How long does cloud dough last? This is a simple recipe involving two main ingredients – corn flour/cornstarch and oil/lotion.
It is silky in texture and can be molded without leaving a mess on your fingers.
At the same time, it is also crumbly and airy. It also works well with molds.
Making cloud dough is mostly an enjoyable experience for kids and can be a good option for play doughs.
No cooking is required, the texture is quite malleable and just what kids desire.
You can also add scents to it by applying lotion, and the appearance can be more captivating when color is added.
Liquid food coloring is preferred because you need just a few drops to get it all colored up.
You can make different batches with different colors, or make a whole big batch with your favorite color.
So, how long does homemade cloud dough last?
Homemade Cloud Dough will last for 1 week so long as all proper storage conditions are met.
This homemade Cloud Dough will not last for stretched periods like other traditional play dough.
The lotion used in cloud dough will begin to dry after 1 week.
It may dry faster if exposed to air, or if the environment is highly sapping moisture.
However, it can be revived if some quantity of lotion is pressed into it.
Knead and knead again till it becomes soft and easy to handle.
Cloud dough does not need to be refrigerated.
The refrigerator will sap its moisture and leave it dry. Store in an airtight container instead.
Does Cloud Dough Go Bad?
Cloud Dough will not go bad. It is not edible, so you don’t have to worry about food poisoning.
Cloud dough can be made in large quantities and stored for future playing purposes.
The consistency may get all dried after a while. But no worries, a mild squeeze of lotion into it will solve the issue.
It will be all moisturized and revived.
However, recipes researched so far have no water added.
Hence, water may not be compatible with cloud dough.
Bacteria and molds love being in damp places.
Exposing your cloud dough to water is enough risk for bacteria contamination.
Although this has no business with your health, it is not appealing anymore.
Cloud dough with mold on it may develop a foul smell alongside.
The kids will no longer find it fun. Hence, you’ll need to throw it out.
So if water gets in, it goes bad.
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How Do You Store Cloud Dough?
Simply put in a plastic wrap and store in an air-tight container.
That’s double protection because we don’t want air drying out all the luster and moisture in our cloud dough.
Experts do not recommend storing it in the refrigerator.
But some people argue that the recipe they followed had oil as an ingredient, and they used a food-based oil.
They are scared that the perishable ingredient (oil) will make the whole cloud dough go bad
On this note, experts say “Go ahead”. But it will only dry out cloud dough faster.
You’ll need more lotion to rejuvenate it.
It is not wise to revive a dried cloud dough and keep it back in the refrigerator.
So storing at room temperature remains the best option.
Does Cloud Dough Harden?
Yes. It could be during the preparation process, or storage period.
During the preparation process, if the quantity of cornstarch is not in proportion to the amount of lotion,
Then the result will be a hardened, dry, overly crumbly cloud dough.
This is usually seen during the kneading process. It won’t feel right and malleable enough.
During the storage period, this dough gets hardened due to excess air.
If directly exposed to air, or left out in the open, this dough will harden quickly.
In split minutes or hours. That is why we protect it by storing it in an air-tight container.
Even at that, even with the protection, it still gets hardened, usually after a week.
Air still seeps in and gets it hardened. Especially if the environment is dry and too airy.
This amazing dough is vulnerable to air, and this takes a toll on its appearance and texture.
However, it can be revived. Apply a little amount of lotion and knead again, till it permeates and softens it.
Is Cloud Dough Sticky?
No. If done properly, cloud dough is silky and smooth due to the lotion.
It is also soft and malleable due to the lotion.
It is easy to knead and work with, without causing a mess on your hands.
It can also be crumbly when broken into pieces, but not overly dry and crumbly.
A sticky cloud dough is one that doesn’t have matched quantities of ingredients.
The oil/lotion is probably too much, compared to the cornstarch.
This will make it sticky as the liquid is too much.
To remedy this situation, add tablespoons of cornstarch, one at a time till you get the right consistency. Then knead, and knead till it becomes soft.
Another thing that will turn a perfectly made cloud dough into sticky, is water.
If exposed to water, it’s gone! Too bad, but it’s to be thrown away.
It can’t be remedied. Cloud dough does not require water anywhere near them.
It will result in spoilage. The texture becomes too sticky to touch, the dough becomes damp and attracts mold and bacteria, and it develops a foul smell.
How Long Does It Take For Cloud Dough To Dry?
It will take 15 – 20 minutes for an exposed cloud dough to dry out, and 1 week for a sealed cloud dough to dry out.
You’ll need to add more lotion if it begins to dry out.
After a week, many percent of people already have new batches made.
This is because debris may get on the cloud dough, ruining its appearance.
You want your dough appealing and attractive especially for your kids.
So, after 1 week, it is normal to discard it because it’s become ugly and dry.
It is also advisable to understand ingredients and their substitutes, and which work best.
Using coconut oil as a substitute for lotion will cause problems.
Coconut oil hardens as it cools, so be sure to have a dry and hardened result.
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Does Cloud Dough Dry Out?
Yes. And very quickly too. It dries out due to high humidity, airy environment and worse is the refrigerator.
When cloud dough dries out, the texture changes from soft and malleable to hard and over-crumbly.
You cannot work with dry cloud dough. It is not a fun activity for the kids.
This is why all precautions must be taken to avoid dried cloud dough.
Use the right ingredients, in their right proportions, and knead properly.
Store in an airtight container, and keep a lotion handy so that you can pop life into cloud dough with it when the cloud dough becomes too dry.
Can You Put Cloud Dough In The Fridge?
Although it is not recommended, people still do. Refrigerating cloud dough will only hasten the drying out.
There’s no point refrigerating since there are no potential bacteria, it’s not perishable and it’s not edible.
Refrigeration slows down the activity and thriving of bacteria so that they don’t contaminate food,
Which can in the long run cause food poisoning
Cloud dough, however, does not have bacteria on it especially when it is not in contact with water.
Hence, there is no need for refrigeration, there are no bacteria working on it that need to be slowed down.
10 Best Substitutes For Cloud Dough.
Below are some outsourced substitutes for cloud dough.
The sole end purpose is to get your kid while away time.
It’s a fun activity for kids, from the preparation to the continuous kneading.
Each item has the ingredients needed.
This information will help you look for the correct recipes and get to work, or get to play!
1. Snow dough –
baking soda and cold water. It gives a feel of snow, it is white and even crumbles between your fingers.
2. Magic mud –
cornstarch and water.
3. Crayon Floam dough –
heated oil, chopped crayon, flour, and filler. The con here is that this dough is quite messy.
4. Clean mud –
Ripped toilet paper, shredded soap bar (either grated or crumbled), and water.
It provides the squishy feel of actual mud, but it is clean.
So no need to worry about dirt or germs or animals or insects.
More water will make it muddier, less water will make it hold forms like clay.
5. Moon sand –
flour/cornflour and oil. It can be mouldable but crumbles easily.
It doesn’t dry out, and it’s perfect for kids who are developing hand strength.
6. Salt Dough –
flour, water, and salt. It’s even more perfect when baked and used for decorating activities.
7. Dinosaur dough –
Hair conditioner and corn flour. The dough is very soft like marshmallows.
It allows toy dinosaurs to be pressed in it, their footprints are embossed as they stomp around.
8. Ice cream dough –
frosting, food color, and flour.
9. Jello play dough –
flour, water, salt, vegetable oil, tartar, package of jello.
10. Fairy play dough –
strawberry-scented hair conditioner, pink coloring, cornflour/corn starch.
Mix to a point of being crumbly but not too dry to fall apart.
How Do You Keep Cloud Bread From Deflating?
You shouldn’t open the oven door while bread bakes.
When external air gets in, and the heated air gets out, the temperature is compromised.
This will make the bread deflate.
Also, egg whites are the essential ingredient to get fluffy (not deflated) cloud bread.
Ensure the yolk doesn’t get into the white, if it gets in it will not whip up well.
Make sure the egg white whipping equipment is completely devoid of fats or oil.
It must be clean so that it whips well.
How Do You Make Cloud Bread Fluffier?
Separate the egg from the yolk when they are cold.
But whip up the whites when it comes to room temperature.
It will whip better at this point. Better still, purchase packaged egg whites directly from the store
Add in sugar. Not all at once, but 1 tbs at a time.
Don’t overbeat your egg whites too. If over-beaten, the cloud bread won’t be fluffy. It will deflate.
Can You Freeze Cloud Dough?
No, Don’t freeze cloud dough which is play dough. However, you can freeze cloud bread.
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Conclusion
This article is a mix of play dough, and edible fluffy bread.
Cloud Bread, on the other hand, gives a cloud 9 experience to taste buds.
It’s somewhere in between marshmallows and sugar. It’s a fluffy treat.
So while your kids play their hearts out with cloud dough, seal their excitement with cloud bread.
This recipe requires no heat, and it comes up in a pretty short period of time. Just 5 minutes!
Cornstarch is used in some recipes. Don’t be confused, just understand the recipe and follow accordingly.
The end goal is a playable cloud dough. If it gets too soft, add a little more cornstarch.
If it gets too hard and dried, add a little more lotion.
Cloud dough must remain soft and handleable.
This is the only reason why kids love it.
In order to preserve this texture, ensure it is not exposed to air.
Wrap up tightly and close in an air-tight container or a Ziploc bag.
This extra protection is to keep air away from getting in.